Mary Jane Webb

Mary Jane Webb was born to Mose and Clara Humphress on July 4th, 1919 in Quindaro, KS. She was one of nine children born to this union. Mary's mother passed when she was three years of age. Her Uncle Rufus and Aunt Maude Butler raised her from that time until she married. While under Aunt Maude's care, Mary enjoyed many summers visiting family in Texas and California. Mary attended Sumner High School and was a member of Metropolitan Baptist Church. While attending Sumner High School she met and married Alfonso Eugene Webb Sr. Ten children were born to this union, 5 boys and 5 girls.

After marriage, Mary Jane became a member of Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, where she was a faithful member for 78 years. Over the years, she was active in Sunday School, Adult Choir, Kitchen Committee, served as Church clerk and on the Mother Board.

She was also very active in the community and led by example by providing a kind word or a helping hand to whoever needed it. Mom always said, "I'd rather wear-out than rust-out." Together she and her husband would take food, clothing and provide comfort to those who were hurting. She worked alongside her husband and other church members to build what is our current Mt. Olive Baptist Church. After the death of her husband, she decided to work part-time at the Merriam Community Center and later at the Roeland Park Nutrition Center, from which she retired at age 85.

She played an integral role in the historic "Webb v School District No. 90" court case of 1949 which led to the integration of the Shawnee Mission School District. This case was a prelude to the 1954 "Brown v Topeka Board of Education" court case. Mary Jane Humphress Webb was a loving, kind, generous, compassionate: wife, mother, grandmother and friend to all who knew her. She is preceded in death by her husband Alfonso Eugene Webb Sr, sons Alfonso Eugene and Harvey Louis Webb and all her siblings (Yancy, Harvey, Abraham, Clyde, Horace, Elizabeth, Etta Mae and Clara). She leaves to cherish her memory: Sharon Webb (wife of Harvey Webb), James L Webb (Louvenia), Wanda E Wilkes (Carl), Cheterria G Williams, Mary E Webb, Deborah K Stephens (Charles), Quinton V Webb, Kathleene L Gabriel (Kevin), Victor A Webb (Denise), 30 grand-children, 42 great grand-children, two God children and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 9, 2015 at the Amos Family Funeral Home; burial in the Shawnee Mission Memory Gardens. Friends may call from 9-11:00 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 9220 W. 50th Terrace, Merriam, KS 66203